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Project Updates for collection: 2010 iCAP Projects

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  1. Article about Billion Dollar Green Challenge

    Associated Project(s): 
    Billion Dollar Green Challenge
    Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)
    Issue Press Releases and Sustainability Reports

    The Chicago Tribune included a mention of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as one of two schools in Illinois that have joined the Billion Dollar Green Challenge.  http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-nvs-north-centra...

    Attached Files: 

  2. FY 17 SSC funding for Zero Waste Coordination

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Decrease Wasteful Practices through Behavior Change
    Increase Recycling Rates
    Recycling for the Quad
    Implement Solutions for Special Recyclables

    The SSC funding for Zero Waste Coordination ($64,862) covers four different recycling efforts.

    1)      Campus-wide infrastructure, $29,750: Expanding the “Dual bins on the Quad” to north of Green and eastward to Goodwin Avenue, in collaboration with F&S Superintendent of Grounds Ryan Welch.  Ryan’s Grounds workers are mapping the existing bins, as a first step.  All of this funding is for the physical infrastructure (bins and lids, etc.).

    2)      Campus-wide education, $1,032: The key message of personal responsibility for waste management needs to be communicated through multiple channels on campus, in order to effect the culture shift that we deeply need on campus.  F&S will create educational materials to explain the recycling options available to the campus community, to reduce confusion.  The funding is based on 8 presentations throughout campus and development of educational materials (which will be used in future years as well).  All materials will thank SSC for their funding support.

    3)      Building specific solutions, $30,520: Per the completed Waste Characterization Studies, there are various changes that can be implemented in the studied buildings to improve waste diversion.  These changes need to be approved and implemented in coordination with building occupants, so there is a need for a staff coordinator to work with the individual units.  The funding is based on two weeks of staff time per building, for eight buildings.

    4)      Special recyclables expansion $3,560: There are new programs available for interested units on campus to recycle nitrile gloves, styrofoam, alkaline batteries, and glass.  Unfortunately, very few units are aware of these opportunities.  We are requested funding for student employees to reach out directly to potential participants and help them incorporate the applicable programs.

  4. New Effort Towards Promoting Departmental Bicycle Fleets

    Associated Project(s): 
    Provide Working Bikes for University Employees
    Departmental Bike Sharing
    Independent Student Projects

    August, 2016, a new initiative towards promoting departments to start their own bicycle fleets began. Lily Wilcock, Active Transportation Coordinator, took on myself (Logan Ebeling), a student intern to help with this project. I am participating in the project as part of ENVS 491, a class required for my Sustainability Minor. 

     

    This project is an evolution from the Departmental Bike Sharing project (see Associated Projects) and is using materials from that project and is drawing off its success. 

     

    We met August 24th at the Campus Bike Center to discuss goals for this semester. We settled on two broad goals: First, assessing the health, challenges, and success of already existing departmental bicycle fleets and second, promoting the formation of new bicycle fleets on campus.  

  5. Concrete Repairs

    Associated Project(s): 
    2014 Campus Bike Plan [ARCHIVED]

    While the plan implementation is not done yet, the Armory Avenue path has seen concrete repair and improvement this summer. Sections between Lincoln and Goodwin have been repaired after recent construction has made the existing poor conditions worse.

  8. FY17 Committee formed and meeting being scheduled

    Associated Project(s): 
    Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)

    This information was sent to the FY17 RLF Selection Committee:

    Thank you for continuing to serve on the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Selection Committee. The primary function of the committee is the selection of RLF proposed projects. At the selection meeting, you will be considering approximately $2M in energy conservation projects that are expected to have a relatively short payback period. The utility savings (cost avoidance) from these projects is then repaid to the RLF allowing additional conservation projects to be funded at a later date. For more detailed program information, please see the attached Agreement/Process document and visit the RLF website.

    An email with proposed project specifics and a scoring template will be sent prior to the meeting. Currently, the Utilities & Energy Services staff are reviewing the proposals and assembling the handout and presentation.  We would like to target a day when the committee is available to present the proposed projects, score, and finalize selections. Your charge will be to review the submissions utilizing the stated criteria in the attachment and make recommendations for loan funding.

    I look forward to meeting with you and please let me know if you have any questions.

    Thank you again,

    Josh Whitson

    Attached Files: 

  9. FLB Green Lighting Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Occupancy and Daylight Sensors
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Hallways in the Foreign Language Building, especially on the upper floors, may go long periods with no traffic. However, the overhead lighting is always on, which is extremely energy inefficient. This project aims to replace some of the overhead lighting with more energy efficient options and install occupancy sensors to automatically dim the lights when people are not present.

    Attached Files: 

  10. Fume Hood Energy Conservation Pilot Project - Funding Letter

    Associated Project(s): 
    Fume Hood Shut the Sash Campaign
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Fume hoods are one of the largest sources of wasted energy in laboratories because of inefficiencies in fume hood use. This proposal specifically funds a Fume Hood Energy Conservation Pilot Project in the National Soybean Research Center (NSRC), in which ways to reduce fume hood energy waste through behavioral interventions will be explored.

    Small changes in behavior such as keeping hoods closed when not in use can have large impacts on energy conservation, but behavioral changes can be difficult to achieve. This project adapts Harvard University’s highly successful “Shut the Sash” program to the particular needs of Labs in NSRC, first by working closely with “early adopters” — labs that are actively interested in reducing fume hood energy use — to develop protocols, reminders, and reinforcement/tracking systems that help reduce fume hood-associated energy waste, and then by reaching out to other labs in NSRC. The long-term project goals are to make NSRC a model for the campus in fume hood energy conservation, and to develop an approach to fume hood energy conservation which can be readily applied to other labs and buildings on campus.

    Attached Files: 

  11. Soil Sample Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Landscapes Plan
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    There is a growing interest in doing several native plantings at specific buildings and undeveloped areas around campus. However, there is no real information on the soil at these locations. This project is looking to provide the data needed to successfully and efficiently manage these planting projects. Several students will take soil core samples from each site and provide the samples to a commercial lab. The data will all be analyzed in comparable manner by the same lab. The project team will take 170 samples/subsamples with an 8” soil probe from these sites. The project team, Facilities and Services, and interested faculty and students will select these sites. The goal is to have an initial database of certain buildings and sites with usable soil sampling data: pH, fertility, and basic grain size. The analysis of the samples can be complete within two months of sampling.

    Attached Files: 

  13. methods for student engagement related to campus infrastructure

    Associated Project(s): 
    Educate Future Leaders

    Students can participate with campus sustainability projects related to infrastructure in the following ways:

    • Provide concepts and ideas that then go through the formal design and implementation
    • Observe installations, if appropriate for that task
    • Monitor results, if installed in appropriately ADA accessible areas
    • Work with the dept. to provide input to design teams, if allowed by the departmental project leader
    • Propose projects to departments

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